Friday, July 22, 2011

Wedding Time!!! Part One...

Well, the much anticipated day finally arrived!  My little sister got married to her high school sweetheart!  We traveled to Maryland just a few days before the wedding and stayed at my parents' house, along with my brother, his wife and my adorable niece and nephew.  My kids were soooooo happy to see their cousins again!  They just love one another so very much :0)  Our trip was wonderful and the wedding was absolutely beautiful!!!!!  Only a few minor hitches...

like Andrew's forehead draining and being INCREDIBLY swollen (the front teeth of a 14 year-old boy slammed themselves into his head on the Fourth of July)...
and...
Ashley coming close to vomiting about 20 times over (starting at the rehearsal dinner and ending the morning after the wedding)... 
Oh- and there were a few other things too...
like the best man being in the hospital during the wedding (I'm happy to report he is O.K. now)...
and...
one of the bridesmaids being involved in a minor fender bender just before the wedding...
and...
one of the bridesmaids dresses thought my sister was bringing her dress for her, so she drove the 3 hours to the coast with no dress on the day of the rehearsal, only to find out that her dress was still back where she started from (a guest was kind enough to go pick up the dress and bring it to the wedding location the day of the wedding).
 
Overall though, the wedding itself was incredible and the reception was awesome- including the 10 minutes or so the power was out b/c the reception building was hit by lighting right in the middle of the reception- LOL!!!  The kids and guests said this just made the reception MORE awesome.  Even more awesomeness was added to the mix by an INCREDIBLE lightning storm.  Even the wedding photographers were out on the porch just snapping away... can't wait to see these pics!

Did I forget to mention that I could not fulfill my duty as the matron of honor of fluffing and arranging my sister's beautiful gown just so during the ceremony due to the gale force winds from the impending storm?  Seriously, at one point her dress almost took me out, so I decided to save myself and give up.

Oh!  And the best story of all...

I had to rip my sister's gown (unbeknownst to her) just after she arrived at the "alter" (gazebo) because the crinoline had caught on the top concrete step (see the second-to-last pic of Andrew standing at the top of these steps) and the dress unraveled so that my sister was still attached to the top step as the ceremony began.  She didn't believe it until she saw the pictures.  Thank goodness that was captured on film so I am saved from living the rest of my life as the sister and matron of honor who ripped the beautiful bride's very expensive and beloved wedding gown!  Phew!!!!   What a relief!

Anyway, here are the pics taken leading up to the wedding.  You'll have to wait for the wedding and beach pics.  This post is just too long and my children are starving to death (their exaggeration) :0)  :0)

Happy that rehearsal is over :0)
Riley, Trevor, Caleb, Chloe, Nia and Ashley

Lighthouse Sound was a beautiful setting for the wedding

My hubby and brother ready for a delicious crab feast!

Mom and Dad :0)

The kids were HUNGRY!!!!!

Riley-beans

Rob was kind enough to pose for me before digging in!

Caleb loved watching the boats and jet-skis

Wedding Day at the beauty parlor for my 2 little beauties

My girls with the beautiful bride

Cousins :0)

Riley and Trevor entertaining one another after pics and before the ceremony

Andrew and Myrick's son, Tristan

Andrew posing with his super swollen forehead :0(

Brothers looking handsome